2.4.1 Threat posed by the National Ports Act, 2005 (Act No 12 of 2005) which allowed for competition from the private sector. The Act imposed obligatory competitive processes to allocate the port operations, thus making Transnet Port Terminals to compete with private sector operators. Organised labour argued that the private sector would automate work and maximise profits with no focus on job creation. Organised labour had since lodged a section 77 application to Nedlac, in support of their demand that the Act be amended. 2.4.2 With regards to the new proposed dig out port project, employees needed to be trained in order to promote their growth and make them ready for the expansions. 2.4.3 The Merchant Shipping Act required maritime training to involve trainees spending a certain number of hours on the ship, and the challenge was that South Africa did not own ships. The use of private ships posed a security risk to the trainees. Furthermore, sea time operations clashed with port work as well. 2.4.4 Need for Transnet to reach out and promote its operations to the rural schools. 2.4.5 Programmes to adopt rural communities should be broadened to cater for more communities in the rural KwaZulu-Natal, especially far flung areas experiencing severe socio-economic pressures.